Smartphone-controlled active configuration of footwear including with concavely rounded soles

ABSTRACT

A smartphone or other mobile computer device, general purpose or specialized, wherein the smartphone device is configured to actively control the configuration of one or more bladders, compartments, chambers or internal sipes and one or more sensors located in either one or both of a sole or a removable inner sole insert of the footwear of the user and/or located in an apparatus worn or carried by the user, glued unto the user, or implanted in the user. The one or more bladders, compartments, chambers, or sipes, and one or more sensors are configured for computer control. A sole and/or a removable inner sole insert for footwear, including one or more bladders, compartments, chambers, internal sipes and sensors in the sole and/or in a removable insert; or on an insole; all being configured for control by a smartphone or other mobile computer device, general purpose or specialized.

This application claims the benefit of the following U.S. ProvisionalApplications: No. 61/687,072, filed on Apr. 18, 2012; No. 61/687,127,filed Apr. 19, 2012; No. 61/851,598, filed Mar. 11, 2013; No.61/851,869, filed Mar. 14, 2013; and No. 61/852,______, filed Mar. 15,2013.

BACKGROUND

In many prior U.S. patents, including for example both the '819 and '982patents, the applicant has shown in detail the inherent stabilitydefects in most modern footwear, which are structurally flat instead ofwrapping around the anatomically rounded shape of an intended wearer'sfoot sole, as required in order to preserve the naturally superiorbiomechanical stability of the intended wearer's bare foot sole.

However, there is also high degree of complexity inherent in correctlydesigning and manufacturing anatomically neutral footwear due to theextremely complex structure of the human foot. The result is that nearlyall commercially available footwear available currently significantlydegrade the natural stability of the barefoot, resulting in needlesschronic and acute injuries.

But the alternative of bare feet alone is not the answer, since barefeet are often unsuited for the modern environment, since they fail toprovide insulation against extreme heat or cold, protection againstsharp objects or dangerous chemicals, and traction on artificial sportsor other surfaces.

With no practical alternatives, a wearer of modern footwear is forcedinto a lifetime of defective footwear use that all too frequentlyresults in anatomical structure and gait problems that cause severechronic injury to joints and other health issues. Unfortunately, withexisting technology, only the symptoms of the injury are ever treated,because there is currently no way to easily evaluate and identify theunderlying specific footwear causes of the injury or to eliminate thosecauses or reduce their severity.

Nor is there a way to provide immediate and effective testing andevaluation to find the most optimal footwear solution as quickly aspossible. Nor is there a way then to immediately implement that mostoptimal footwear solution, while afterwards continuing indefinitely theongoing testing and evaluation to prevent future problems. Nor is thereas way to share these individual optimal solutions among largerpopulation groups to achieve potentially many other tangible healthbenefits among similar subgroups.

SUMMARY

The applicant's new footwear sole inventions emphasize anextraordinarily simple approach, which is simply bending the sides offootwear sole up in the direction of the foot, instead of leaving thesole structure conventionally flat.

The result is a new footwear sole that is simply concavely roundedunderneath the intended wearer's foot sole, particularly as viewed infrontal plane cross-sections.

The new footwear soles are not complex to design and manufacture, sincethey avoid dealing with the enormous complexity of trying to conform tothe irregularly shaped human foot structure. They still, however,preserve most if not all of the essential biomechanical superiority ofthe barefoot in natural pronation and supination motion, even when shodwith any of the variations of the new sole inventions described in thisapplication—as long as the footwear sole's concave rounding isconfigured to deform under a body weight load to flatten against theflat ground, as does a barefoot sole.

The applicant's inventions also include using a smartphone device withmotion sensors and/or in-shoe force and/or pressure sensors to easilyevaluate and identify the underlying specific footwear causes of afootwear injury or to eliminate those causes or reduce their severity.The applicant's inventions also include footwear with bladders,compartments, chambers and/or sipes configured to be controlled by thesmartphone in real time and can also include the concavely rounded solestructure invention described above and elsewhere in this application.

With the applicant's smartphone and configurable footwear, there a wayto provide immediate and effective testing and evaluation to find themost optimal footwear solution as quickly as possible. In addition, withthem there a way then to immediately implement that most optimalfootwear solution, while afterwards continuing indefinitely the ongoingtesting and evaluation to prevent future problems. Furthermore, withthem there as way to share these individual optimal solutions amonglarger population groups to achieve potentially many other tangiblehealth benefits among similar subgroups.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A and 1B are examples of smartphones, the iPhone 5™ and theSamsung Galaxy S III™, respectively, which can be used to activelyconfigure footwear and other apparatus.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are example ear phones and headphones, respectively,which can include motion, proximity, and other sensors 582.

FIG. 3 shows side and back views of a human skeleton to illustrate thepotential positions for the smartphone and for sensors on the body orapparel or equipment, including footwear, pants, belt, collar,wristband, earphones, and helmet.

FIGS. 4A and 4B show two axis graphs showing examples of tracks ofcenter of gravity (C.G.) motion over at least a full locomotion stride,FIG. 4A showing a model or correct or preferred state and FIG. 4Bshowing uncorrected or misaligned state.

FIG. 5 shows a prior art example of the left and right foot force andrelative pressure measurements provided by an existing in-shoe system byF-Scan™.

FIGS. 6A-6D are other prior art examples showing insole pressuremeasurements of the running stride and are FIGS. 9-12 of the applicant's'948 U.S. patent.

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a prior art example of footwear withcomputer controlled bladders, compartments, or chambers located in aremovable midsole section and was FIG. 11P of the applicant's '749 U.S.application publication.

FIG. 8 shows a frontal plane view of a similar embodiment and was FIG.11N of the same '749 publication.

FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of a prior art example of footwear withinner bladders, compartments, or chambers of FIGS. 7 & 8 with internalflexibility sipes and outer, bladders, compartments, or chambers and wasFIG. 1C of the applicant's '916 U.S. Publication.

FIG. 10A-10D are FIGS. 15, 16, and 17A-17B of the applicant's '916publication and show footwear prior art computer controlled innerbladders, compartments, or chambers surrounded by internal flexibilitysipes and outer bladders, compartments, or chambers. FIGS. 10E-10H showprior art examples FIGS. 1, 2, 4A and 4B from Demon's U.S. Pat. No.5,813,142 of computer controlled valves venting from bladders to outsidethe shoe sole. FIG. 10I is FIG. 44 of the same publication and shows afootwear prior art computer controlled mechanical cushioning system.

FIG. 11A-11I are examples of the applicant's semi-thong inventions. FIG.11A shows a horizontal view of the upper surface of a footwear sole withan intended wearer's footprint superimposed in its normal position withthe semi-thong 3 located between the big and second toes; and optionalother semi-thong locations indicated between the other toes. FIGS.11B-11E show horizontal cross-sections of the semi-thong; FIG. 11F showsa frontal plane cross-section showing the location of an examplesemi-thong. FIGS. 11G-11I show examples of different semi-thongstructures in cross-section.

FIG. 12A is a blown up cross-section of an example part of theapplicant's inventions of an extremely minimalist footwear sole or atraction sock or an individual thread. FIG. 12B shows an example of themost minimalist of footwear, which is without any sole and only a bigtoe strap 21 a (and/or other toe straps), elastic or other, to hold downthe forefoot of the soleless footwear upper.

FIGS. 13A-13E is a prior art series showing the applicant's priorinventions of footwear soles conforming to the shape of an intendedwearer's unloaded foot sole and was FIG. 51A-51E of the applicant's '350U.S. patent.

FIG. 14A is prior art FIG. 62 from the applicant's '350 U.S. patentshowing the extra sole width required to accommodate the dynamicfootprint and FIGS. 14B-14D are prior art FIGS. 1A-1C from theapplicant's '982 U.S. patent showing the footwear sole's capability todeform to flatten under the body weight of a wearer, including during 20degrees of supination or pronation. FIG. 14E is the prior art FIG. 28cof the applicant's '819 U.S. patent showing the flexibility axis 122.

FIGS. 15A-15H is a series similar to FIGS. 13A-13E showing frontal planeand sagittal plane cross-sections and horizontal plan overview of theapplicant's new inventions of a footwear sole that is concavely roundedrelative to the intended wearer's foot sole in frontal planecross-sections in the forefoot, midfoot, and heel areas of the footwearsole; FIGS. 15E-15H show different potential variations that can beincorporated into the long axis structure shown in FIGS. 15A-15D.

FIG. 16A-16E is like FIG. 15A-E, but with a flexibility groove just aftof the forefoot of the footwear sole on both sides, between thecross-sections of FIGS. 16A and 16B. FIGS. 17A-17E, FIGS. 18A-18E, FIGS.19A-19E, and FIGS. 20A-20E show variations of the flexibility groovelocated proximate to flexibility axis 122, with FIG. 18D also showing afabric cover over the groove, the fabric cover optionally forming aportion of a strap for the upper and FIG. 20D showing flexibility sipes505 instead of grooves and FIGS. 18A and 18B showing with dashed linethe position of the inset outersole 31 established by the groove.

FIG. 21A-21E is the applicant's concavely rounded footwear soleinventions applied to prior art FIGS. 13A-13E, which is an exampleembodiment with bulges and abbreviated sides for flexibility.

FIGS. 22A-22D are a front view, a back view, a side view, and anoverhead view of the applicant's concavely rounded footwear sole shownin FIGS. 15A-15E, with inner dashed lines showing the inner surface 30of the sole.

FIG. 23A-23D are a front view, a back view, a side view, and an overheadview of the applicant's concavely rounded footwear sole shown in FIGS.17A-17E, with inner dashed lines showing the inner surface 30 of thesole.

FIG. 24 is a frontal plane cross-section of a press and/or press forms55 configured structurally to form a concavely rounded footwear solesuch as shown in FIGS. 15-23.

FIGS. 25B, 26B, 27A-27D, 28A-28B, 29A-29B & 30, 31-32 and 33A-33D areexamples of apparatus with sensors 582 based on FIGS. 29B, 32B, 59 &60A-60C, 69 & 70, 61A-61B & 62, 78 and 79 from the applicant's '916 U.S.application and FIG. 23A-C & G of the '661 application; FIGS. 25A and26A are prior art examples based on FIGS. 29A and 32A of the '916application.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

Among the inventions included in this application are the method,apparatus, and software of using a general or special purpose computerdevice 580, including a smartphone 580 such as an Apple iPhone 5™ and aSamsung Galaxy S III™, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, as well as aMotorola Droid™, a Nokia Lumia™ and a BlackBerry™ 10, as other examples,to measure the relative motion of a body and/or a body part during thelocomotion of a user of the smartphone (or any other portable or mobilemicrocomputer device, general purpose or specialized, including forexample the Apple iPod™).

The smartphone device 580 can also be used to measure the force orrelative pressure distribution of the wearer's foot sole in footwear; orto do both, including simultaneously, while also performing the otherstandard functions of a smartphone, like performing phone, email,browsing, and audio and/or video functions.

Smartphones can be configured with existing hardware motion sensingcomponents, like a three-axis gyroscope and three-axis accelerometer inthe iPhone 5™ and Samsung Galaxy S III™, for example, and/or additionaland/or new hardware or software components to perform similar or othermotion data measurement. The above smartphone or other microcomputingdevices 580 can be mobile and/or wearable.

The smartphone or other devices 580 can also be configured to be capableof recording and/or streaming (in real time or later) wired orwirelessly any such measurement data to another computer, either localto the user (using a tablet, laptop or desktop, for example) or to acloud array of computers such as the example of the Apple iCloud or toany other computer. The smartphone or other device 580 can be configuredto process the measurement data itself and/or in conjunction with alocal and/or remote server, including the examples of an Apple iPhone™,a MacBook Pro™ laptop computer and/or the Apple iCloud™.

The smartphone or other device 580 can be configured to include thenecessary sensor or sensors 582, in the device 580 itself and/orconnected to it by wire or wirelessly, as well as associated electronic,software, and other components, to provide the capability to capturevarious kinds of motion and/or other data measurements; and/or thesmartphone device can be used with one or more peripheral devices withsensors 582 and associated components, which can be located with or nearthe smartphone or located remotely from it, so that the motion of thebody and/or one or more body parts of the user can be measuredseparately and/or simultaneously in whatever manner desired. Forexample, an iPhone 5™ with EarPods™ or other headphones, as shown inFIGS. 2A and 2B, that include motion sensors can be paired with an iPod™with additional sensors and be connected to each other wirelessly orwired (even potentially in the future including the example of using awearer's body as a conductive wire).

The smartphone 580 and/or associated peripheral device with remotesensor or sensors 582 and/or other devices can be especially useful inmeasuring the relative motion of the body or one or more body parts of auser and/or wearer when the wearer is in any form of locomotion or gait,including walking and running. For example, an iPhone™ can be attachedto a user's belt and located proximate to the small of the back of thewearer, as shown in FIG. 3, at which location the iPhone™ is positionedclose to the wearer's center of gravity (C.G.) and therefore datameasurements of the wearer at that location during walking or running,for example, approximate fairly well the wearer's center of gravity(C.G.) motion during that locomotion, such as lateral or side-to-sideC.G. motion in a frontal plane.

Besides the smartphone 580 being carried by the user/wearer, it can bemaintained in a relative position close enough to the user/wearer thatthe smartphone can communicate wirelessly with one or more peripheraldevices with sensors 582 on a test subject not carrying the smartphoneduring a test; alternatively, another computer like a tablet or laptopor desktop can be configured to perform the same functions as asmartphone device 580, although with less or little mobility; such aperipheral device with sensors 582 can itself also simply record datameasurements for later transfer to the smartphone 580 or other computerin a wired or wireless or a memory card like a USB drive or SD card, forexamples.

In addition, the smartphone device 580 can be configured so that when itis paired with another motion sensor besides that in the smartphone orother device 580 itself, such as a separate sensor or sensors 582 in aperipheral device like an EarPod™ set or headphones; for example, thatsecond sensor or sensors 582 can be configured to measure 1D, 2D, or 3Ddata of the relative motion of the wearer's head during locomotion(assuming earplug-like fixation by the ear canal) and that data can berecorded by and/or streamed to the smartphone device 580. The smartphone580 such as an Apple iPhone™ can be configured to receive the data setof the head motion and compare that head motion data set with its own CGmotion data set and/or send that head motion data set and/or its CGmotion data set to the Apple iCloud for such comparison and/or bothiPhone™ and iCloud™ can share the data set comparison and perform otherfunctions in a shared operation and/or with either performing any givenoperation or part thereof independently.

The results of that motion data comparison and any other operation canbe recorded and/or stored and/or transmitted or otherwise madeaccessible to the user/wearer and/or to an approved third party such asa doctor or podiatrist or biomechanics specialist or other professionalor semi-professional technician, including licensed or not, who istreating, consulting, or evaluating the user/wearer for overuse injuryor acute injury (including accidents of any type) or to prevent injuryand/or optimize performance for locomotion including for work, sports,leisure, or activities of daily living. There can be any practicalnumber of additional and/or separate motion or other sensors 582 of anyuseful configuration that can be located at any practical number of bodyparts of a user/wearer. The sensors 582 can be attached, fastened, orworn in any practical manner, including implanting in a human body (orin an animal body or in a plant). The smartphone or other device 580 canalso be configured to receive shared data from other smartphones orother devices 580 and/or other shared peripheral devices with sensors582 located with other user wearers.

The smartphone or other device 580 can also measure absolute orgeographic position of the wearer, such as by the global positioningsystem (GPS), compass, or other system, method or component, and canrecord and/or correlate in real time the absolute position (CG or otherapproximate point) of the user/wearer with the relative position motionof one or many body parts of the user/wear (or the same informationshared from other smartphone 580 user wearers), and/or stream in realtime or transmit the data sets to a cloud like the iCloud™ exampleabove.

The position measurement, either relative or absolute, can be in oneplane (1D) or in two planes (2D) or in three planes (3D), withcorrelated time measurement for example as well; sagittal, horizontal,and/or transverse (or frontal) planes are examples. Other data sets canpotentially be captured, recorded, processed and/or transmitted by thesmartphone or other device 580 or connected sensor or sensors 582, suchas blood pressure, heart rate, respiration rate, blood sugar level,weight, body temperature (core or a body part), ambient temperature, orany other body or body part measurement, medical or other.

The sensor or sensors 582 can be of any type, including the examples ofrelative and absolute motion, pressure, force, time, heat, moisture,chemical, electrical or electromagnetic, including visible light. Thesensors 582 can be located in any practical location on any article ofapparel or personal equipment, including the examples of earphones orearplugs, headphones, hat, helmet, protective padding or armor, braces,prosthetics, glasses, watch, belt, waistband, armband, attached withtape or bandage or glue, necklace or lanyard, cervical collar, ring,headband, in any manner attached or embedded in conventional orspecialized clothing. The sensors 582 can also be worn or attached ontoor implanted in the wearer's body, temporarily in a body piercing orpermanently in a body implant.

The sensors 582 can also be located in the user's footwear of any formor type, including in orthotics or prosthetics. The sensors 582 can beentirely diagnostic, such as the example of dynamic footsole forceand/or pressure sensors 104 like F-Scan™ and similar in-shoe productslike insoles. The footwear sensors 582 can also work with active footmotion control devices, like the example of computer controlledcompartments located in or on footwear soles and/or removable in-shoeinserts like the examples shown in FIGS. 11A-11C, 11M, 11N, 11O, and 11Pin the '350 patent and FIGS. 11A-11C, 11M, 11N, 11O, 11P, 11T, 11U, 97,98, and 99A & B in the '665 patent application; the U.S. Pat. No.5,813,142 to Demon is another example of the prior art. The exampleembodiments shown in these figures can be used to proactively and/orreactively alter shoe or orthotic (or prosthetic) soles to control therelative foot position between the right and left feet of theuser/wearer's feet, such as to alter the neutral position of either orboth feet separately toward a more generally supinated or pronatedposition, or for another example to alter the relative height of anyspecific portion of the right and/or left shoe or orthotic or protheticsole, such as the forefoot, heel, or midsection or under any one or morebones of a user/wearer's right and/or left feet, or under the full rightor left foot. These sole configuration alterations can be setpotentially by smartphone device control for any time period, includingdynamically for each step during locomotion of each foot of theuser/wearer and/or dynamically many times during each step, and a datarecord of the alterations can be recorded and/or streamed from withineach sole or in the sensor 582 or in the smartphone 580.

These footwear or orthotic sole alterations can be controlled by thesmartphone device 580 based its 1D or 2D or 3D motion measurements, forexample, of the user/wearer's body part or parts, including center ofgravity motion (CG) during some form of locomotion. One example would beto correct for excessive lateral movement of the user/wearer's center ofgravity to one side more than another, as measured in the frontal plane,compared to an established norm less prone to injury. Another example,which can be related, is to reduce the crossover of right and/or leftextremities (legs and/or feet) across the centerline of theuser/wearer's body, as measured in the wearer's frontal plane duringlocomotion. Pre-programmed solutions can be applied using theuser/wearer's smartphone and/or a cloud, and real time or subsequenttesting can be conducted, including by the third parties like a doctoror other professional or technician referenced earlier, by using thesmartphone, including to connect directly to the third party or partiesor to a cloud for shared or independent operations.

The operating systems of the above described smartphone or other device580 can be an iOS™ or Android™ or Windows Phone OS or BlackBerry 10 foran Apple™ or Android™ or Windows™ or Linux™ smartphone or tablet, forexample; other operating systems, existing or future can be used toperform those operations. Such an app can be downloaded from Apple™ orGoogle™, for example, or for a Kindle™ downloaded from Amazon™ ordownloaded from Microsoft™ for the Nokia Lumia™ for other examples. Theoperations described above for one or more sensors 582 can also becontrolled by the same app as for the smartphones or other device 580above. The app can be software alone or include one or more special ornew sensors 582 and/or other hardware and/or firmware.

At least the footwear specific portions of the app can be developed by afootwear vendor like Nike™, Adidas™, or Under Armor™, for example,and/or an independent or university biomechanics laboratory, and theoverall app can be co-developed with the smartphone 580 and sensor 582hardware makers, as well as the smartphone operation system developers,of which examples have been cited above. Data sets from the smartphoneor other devices 580 can be transmitted to a World Wide Web site forprocessing, evaluation (especially comparison with other wearers orusers), storage, sharing, and other functions for the user wearer of thesmartphone 580 (and may include the use of cloud resources) run by anyof the entities referenced above.

The smartphone or other device 580 can also be configured to controlcompartments implanted within (or attached to) the human body (or ananimal body or plant), including examples such as FIGS. 29A & B or FIGS.32A & B with multiple compartments like those previously shown forfootwear, such as in FIGS. 11M-P, 11T-U, and 97-99A & B of the '665patent application. Such implants or attachments can be configured toinclude one or more sensors 582 discussed previously. Similarly, thesmartphone or other device 580 can be used to control compartments inthe same way in body braces, padding, and armor, including in theexamples shown in FIGS. 60A, 69, and 70 of the '930 patent application.

The computer or other device 580 including the example of a smartphone580 can also be configured to include a microprocessor alone, includinga system-on-a-chip (SoC), including a personal computer on a chip, andcan also include a Faraday Cage 300, which can coincide with an outercompartment 500, such as the example shown in FIG. 23G of the '769patent application. Especially because of privacy of data concerns, thesmartphone or other device 580 or any Web site storing data therefromcan be configured to include any combination of security featuresindicated in the applicant's U.S. patent application Ser. No. 398,403filed Feb. 16, 2012, and published as Publication No. 20120311690 onDec. 6, 2012 and in application Ser. No. 10,684,657 filed Oct. 15, 2003and published as Publication No. 2005/0180095 on Aug. 18, 2005, both ofwhich applications are hereby incorporated by reference in theirentirety in this application.

A smartphone or other mobile computer device, either general purpose orspecialized, can comprise the following: the smartphone device can beconfigured to actively control the configuration of one or morebladders, compartments, chambers or internal sipes and one or moresensors located in either one or both of a sole or a removable innersole insert of the footwear of the user and/or located in an apparatusworn or carried by the user, glued unto the user, or implanted in theuser; and the one or more bladders, compartments, chambers, or sipes,and one or more sensors can be configured for computer control. Any ofthe components or methods of the example invention embodiments describedin this paragraph can be combined with any other components or methodsof the example invention embodiments described in previous paragraphsabove or in the patents or applications incorporated by reference inthis application.

The smartphone device can be configured to record a first test data setconsisting of measurements by a sensor of the force and/or the relativepressure distribution of a wearer's foot sole on or near an uppersurface of the wearer's footwear during the wearer's locomotion or otherphysical activity; the first test data set as measured in at least oneplane (1D) or in two planes (2D) or in three planes (3D) and/orincluding time or other measurements. Any of the components or methodsof the example invention embodiments described in this paragraph can becombined with any other components or methods of the example inventionembodiments described in previous paragraphs above or in the patents orapplications incorporated by reference in this application.

The smartphone device can be configured to record a first test data setconsisting of measurements by a sensor of the relative motion during theuser's locomotion or other physical activity of a position at or near toa part of the body of the user of the smartphone device; the first testdata set as measured in at least one plane (1D) or in two planes (2D) orin three planes (3D) and/or including time or other measurements. Any ofthe components or methods of the example invention embodiments describedin this paragraph can be combined with any other components or methodsof the example invention embodiments described in previous paragraphsabove or in the patents or applications incorporated by reference inthis application.

The smartphone device can be configured to record a first test data setconsisting of measurements of the relative motion during the user'slocomotion or other physical activity of a position that is at or nearthe center of gravity of the body of the user of the smartphone device,as measured in at least one plane (1D) or in two planes (2D) or in threeplanes (3D) and/or including time or other measurements. Any of thecomponents or methods of the example invention embodiments described inthis paragraph can be combined with any other components or methods ofthe example invention embodiments described in previous paragraphs aboveor in the patents or applications incorporated by reference in thisapplication.

The smartphone device can be configured to establish a firstconfiguration setting for the bladders, compartments, chambers, sipes orother portions of the apparatus or of either or both of the footwearsoles. Any of the components or methods of the example inventionembodiments described in this paragraph can be combined with any othercomponents or methods of the example invention embodiments described inprevious paragraphs above or in the patents or applications incorporatedby reference in this application.

The first configuration setting of the smartphone device can be aneutral or baseline condition, including the condition wherein thesmartphone device has not activated control of the apparatus or thefootwear soles. Any of the components or methods of the exampleinvention embodiments described in this paragraph can be combined withany other components or methods of the example invention embodimentsdescribed in previous paragraphs above or in the patents or applicationsincorporated by reference in this application.

The smartphone device can be configured to activate a secondconfiguration setting for the bladders, compartments, chambers, sipes,or other portions of the apparatus or of either or both of the soles,the second configuration being different from the first configurationsetting. Any of the components or methods of the example inventionembodiments described in this paragraph can be combined with any othercomponents or methods of the example invention embodiments described inprevious paragraphs above or in the patents or applications incorporatedby reference in this application.

Using the second configuration setting, the smartphone device can beconfigured to record a second test data set consisting of measurementsof the relative motion during locomotion or other physical activity ofthe position at or near to the part of the user, as measured in at leastone plane (1D) or in two planes (2D) or in three planes (3D) and/orincluding time or other measurements. Any of the components or methodsof the example invention embodiments described in this paragraph can becombined with any other components or methods of the example inventionembodiments described in previous paragraphs above or in the patents orapplications incorporated by reference in this application.

Using the second configuration setting, the smartphone device can beconfigured to record a second test data set consisting of measurementsof the relative motion during locomotion or other physical activity ofthe position at or near to the center of gravity of the user, asmeasured in at least one plane (1D) or in two planes (2D) or in threeplanes (3D) and/or including time or other measurements. Any of thecomponents or methods of the example invention embodiments described inthis paragraph can be combined with any other components or methods ofthe example invention embodiments described in previous paragraphs aboveor in the patents or applications incorporated by reference in thisapplication.

The smartphone device can be configured to compare the first test dataset and the second test data set with a preferred data set for themeasurements of relative motion during locomotion or other physicalactivity of the part of a model user or users, as measured in at leastone plane (1D) or in two planes (2D) or in three planes (3D) and/orincluding time or other measurements. Any of the components or methodsof the example invention embodiments described in this paragraph can becombined with any other components or methods of the example inventionembodiments described in previous paragraphs above or in the patents orapplications incorporated by reference in this application.

The smartphone device can be configured to compare the first test dataset and the second test data set with a preferred data set for themeasurements of relative motion during locomotion or other physicalactivity of the position at or near to the part of a model user orusers, as measured in at least one plane (1D) or in two planes (2D) orin three planes (3D) and/or including time or other measurements. Any ofthe components or methods of the example invention embodiments describedin this paragraph can be combined with any other components or methodsof the example invention embodiments described in previous paragraphsabove or in the patents or applications incorporated by reference inthis application.

The smartphone device can be configured to compare the first test dataset and the second test data set with a preferred data set for themeasurements of relative motion during locomotion or other physicalactivity of the position at or near to the center of gravity of a modeluser or users, as measured in at least one plane (1D) or in two planes(2D) or in three planes (3D) and/or including time or othermeasurements. Any of the components or methods of the example inventionembodiments described in this paragraph can be combined with any othercomponents or methods of the example invention embodiments described inprevious paragraphs above or in the patents or applications incorporatedby reference in this application.

The smartphone device can be configured to select the configurationsetting of the footwear soles that produced the test data set that isthe closest to the preferred data set and to reject the otherconfiguration setting, thereby completing at least one full cycle of anoperation to optimize the configuration for the wearer. Any of thecomponents or methods of the example invention embodiments described inthis paragraph can be combined with any other components or methods ofthe example invention embodiments described in previous paragraphs aboveor in the patents or applications incorporated by reference in thisapplication.

The full cycle of the configuration optimizing operation can be repeatedas frequently as necessary until the most recent test data set eitherclosely matches the preferred data set or cannot be made to match thetest data more closely. Any of the components or methods of the exampleinvention embodiments described in this paragraph can be combined withany other components or methods of the example invention embodimentsdescribed in previous paragraphs above or in the patents or applicationsincorporated by reference in this application.

The full cycle of the configuration optimizing operation can be repeatedhundreds or thousands or millions or billions of times. Any of thecomponents or methods of the example invention embodiments described inthis paragraph can be combined with any other components or methods ofthe example invention embodiments described in previous paragraphs aboveor in the patents or applications incorporated by reference in thisapplication.

The model user or users can be chosen from a group of shod or barefootusers who have a history of low levels of overuse and/or acute injuries,the barefoot users including users that are distinguished by level ofprevious or current conventional footwear use, such as barefoot usersthat have been formerly shod and/or occasionally shod or seldom shod ornever shod with conventional footwear. Any of the components or methodsof the example invention embodiments described in this paragraph can becombined with any other components or methods of the example inventionembodiments described in previous paragraphs above or in the patents orapplications incorporated by reference in this application.

The smartphone device can be configured to include a gyroscope and anaccelerometer. Any of the components or methods of the example inventionembodiments described in this paragraph can be combined with any othercomponents or methods of the example invention embodiments described inprevious paragraphs above or in the patents or applications incorporatedby reference in this application.

The smartphone device can be configured to include one or more wiredconnections and/or one or more wireless connections, the wirelessconnections including WiFi, Bluetooth, near field communications (NFC)and/or cellular. Any of the components or methods of the exampleinvention embodiments described in this paragraph can be combined withany other components or methods of the example invention embodimentsdescribed in previous paragraphs above or in the patents or applicationsincorporated by reference in this application.

The relative motion can include geographic motion tracking between oneor more geographic positions and said device is configured to include aglobal positioning system (GPS) components and/or another geographiclocation tracking capability. Any of the components or methods of theexample invention embodiments described in this paragraph can becombined with any other components or methods of the example inventionembodiments described in previous paragraphs above or in the patents orapplications incorporated by reference in this application.

The smartphone device can be configured for wired and/or wirelessconnection to at least one peripheral device with at least one remotesensor located at or near to a body part of the user. Any of thecomponents or methods of the example invention embodiments described inthis paragraph can be combined with any other components or methods ofthe example invention embodiments described in previous paragraphs aboveor in the patents or applications incorporated by reference in thisapplication.

The remote sensor can be of any known type, including motion, pressure,time, heat moisture, chemical, electrical, or electromagnetic sensor. Atleast one peripheral device can be a headphone set or a audio earplugsset or an earplugs set with at least one or two remote motion sensors.Any of the components or methods of the example invention embodimentsdescribed in this paragraph can be combined with any other components ormethods of the example invention embodiments described in previousparagraphs above or in the patents or applications incorporated byreference in this application.

At least one peripheral device with at least one remote sensor can beconfigured to record and/or transmit a first and/or second test data setconsisting of the measurements of the relative motion during locomotionor other physical activity of a position at or near to the body part ofthe user of the smartphone device, as measured in at least one plane(1D) or in two planes (2D) or in three planes (3D) and/or including timeor other measurements. Any of the components or methods of the exampleinvention embodiments described in this paragraph can be combined withany other components or methods of the example invention embodimentsdescribed in previous paragraphs above or in the patents or applicationsincorporated by reference in this application.

The body part can be one or more of the smartphone device user's head,neck, shoulder, chest, cervical, thoracic or lumbar back, rib, elbow,wrist, hand, waist, sacrum, pubic bone, illiac crest, thigh, hip, knee,patella, shin bone or tibia, ankle, toe, forefoot, midfoot or heel offoot; or wherein the body part is part of the body of an animal or aportion of a plant. Any of the components or methods of the exampleinvention embodiments described in this paragraph can be combined withany other components or methods of the example invention embodimentsdescribed in previous paragraphs above or in the patents or applicationsincorporated by reference in this application.

The remote sensor can be located in any practical location on anyarticle of clothing or personal equipment, including earphones orearplugs, helmet, glasses, watch, belt, waistband, elastic underwear,armband, attached with tape or bandage, necklace or lanyard, cervicalcollar, ring, headband, in any manner attached or embedded inconventional or specialized clothing, or glued on the skin of thewearer. Any of the components or methods of the example inventionembodiments described in this paragraph can be combined with any othercomponents or methods of the example invention embodiments described inprevious paragraphs above or in the patents or applications incorporatedby reference in this application.

The at least one peripheral device with at least one remote sensor cantransmit, in real time and/or later, the first and/or second data setsto the smartphone device and/or to another computer. Any of thecomponents or methods of the example invention embodiments described inthis paragraph can be combined with any other components or methods ofthe example invention embodiments described in previous paragraphs aboveor in the patents or applications incorporated by reference in thisapplication.

The apparatus or either or both of the footwear soles can include one ormore or a multitude or 20 or 50 or 100 or 500 or 1000 or 4000 or 16,000individual sensors. Any of the components or methods of the exampleinvention embodiments described in this paragraph can be combined withany other components or methods of the example invention embodimentsdescribed in previous paragraphs above or in the patents or applicationsincorporated by reference in this application.

The locomotion can include walking and/or running. The test data setscan include at least a full stride or many strides of the walking and/orrunning locomotion or at least one full cycle or many cycles of anyother repetitive motion of the user. The first and/or second test datasets can be collected when the locomotion occurs on a flat levelsurface, a flat uphill or upward inclining surface, or a flat downhillor downward inclining surface. Any of the components or methods of theexample invention embodiments described in this paragraph can becombined with any other components or methods of the example inventionembodiments described in previous paragraphs above or in the patents orapplications incorporated by reference in this application.

The apparatus or either or both of the footwear soles can be configuredto include at least a magnetorheological fluid located in the one ormore bladders, compartments, chambers, sipes or other portions, themagnetorheological fluid being controlled at least in part or completelyby the smartphone device. Any of the components or methods of theexample invention embodiments described in this paragraph can becombined with any other components or methods of the example inventionembodiments described in previous paragraphs above or in the patents orapplications incorporated by reference in this application.

The apparatus or either or both of the footwear soles can be configuredto include at least one valve located between the two or more bladders,compartments, chambers, sipes, or other portions, the at least one valvebeing controlled at least in part or completely by the smartphonedevice. Any of the components or methods of the example inventionembodiments described in this paragraph can be combined with any othercomponents or methods of the example invention embodiments described inprevious paragraphs above or in the patents or applications incorporatedby reference in this application.

The apparatus or either or both of the footwear soles can be configuredto include at least one electric and/or electronic and/orelectromechanical device that is controlled at least in part orcompletely by the smartphone device Any of the components or methods ofthe example invention embodiments described in this paragraph can becombined with any other components or methods of the example inventionembodiments described in previous paragraphs above or in the patents orapplications incorporated by reference in this application.

The apparatus and/or footwear sole or soles can include at least onebattery and/or at least one device wherein the body weight and/ormuscular energy of a wearer of the smartphone device is used to generateelectrical power in the apparatus or either or both of the footwearsoles. Any of the components or methods of the example inventionembodiments described in this paragraph can be combined with any othercomponents or methods of the example invention embodiments described inprevious paragraphs above or in the patents or applications incorporatedby reference in this application.

The apparatus or either or both of the footwear soles can be configuredto include a wired and/or wireless connection to the smartphone device.Any of the components or methods of the example invention embodimentsdescribed in this paragraph can be combined with any other components ormethods of the example invention embodiments described in previousparagraphs above or in the patents or applications incorporated byreference in this application.

An article of apparel or equipment can be configured to include wiringto connect the smartphone device to the apparatus and/or either or bothof the footwear soles and/or one or more peripheral devices with atleast one remote sensor; and/or wherein the smartphone device isconfigured to provide power to the apparatus and/or footwear solesand/or peripheral devices. Any of the components or methods of theexample invention embodiments described in this paragraph can becombined with any other components or methods of the example inventionembodiments described in previous paragraphs above or in the patents orapplications incorporated by reference in this application.

The smartphone device can be configured to actively control theconfiguration of one or more footwear soles of the user by altering therelative longitudinal height, including positive or negative heel lift(or drop), or negative or positive forefoot lift, and/or the relativeside-to-side height between lateral and medial sides, and/or therelative height between the right and the left footwear, or acombination of these relative height alterations. These alterations arestructurally and functionally like those performed typically bypodiatrists and orthopedic specialists, for example. Any of thecomponents or methods of the example invention embodiments described inthis paragraph can be combined with any other components or methods ofthe example invention embodiments described in previous paragraphs aboveor in the patents or applications incorporated by reference in thisapplication.

The smartphone device can be configured to actively control theconfiguration of one or more footwear soles of the user by altering therelative longitudinal firmness between heel area and forefoot areaand/or side-to-side firmness between lateral and medial side areas,and/or the relative firmness between the right and the left footwear, ora combination of these relative firmness alterations. These alterationsare structurally and functionally like those performed typically bypodiatrists and orthopedic specialists, for example. Any of thecomponents or methods of the example invention embodiments described inthis paragraph can be combined with any other components or methods ofthe example invention embodiments described in previous paragraphs aboveor in the patents or applications incorporated by reference in thisapplication.

The smartphone device can be configured to actively control theconfiguration of one or more footwear soles of the user by altering therelative height or firmness under one or more of the foot bones of thewearer, including under the calcaneus, the lateral calcaneal tuberosity,the base of the fifth metatarsal, the longitudinal arch, the metatarsalarch, each of the heads of the metatarsals, and each of the distalphalanges, including the hallux or big toe. These alterations arestructurally and functionally like those performed typically bypodiatrists and orthopedic specialists, for example. Any of thecomponents or methods of the example invention embodiments described inthis paragraph can be combined with any other components or methods ofthe example invention embodiments described in previous paragraphs aboveor in the patents or applications incorporated by reference in thisapplication.

The smartphone device can be configured to actively control of theapparatus or footwear configuration at least once per full operationcycle or locomotion stride, many times per full operation cycle orlocomotion stride, once per many full operation cycles or locomotionstrides, or based on a set time period of any duration or based onanother test condition. Any of the components or methods of the exampleinvention embodiments described in this paragraph can be combined withany other components or methods of the example invention embodimentsdescribed in previous paragraphs above or in the patents or applicationsincorporated by reference in this application.

The device can be configured to record a first test data set consistingof measurements of the force and/or the relative pressure distributionof the wearer's foot sole on an upper surface of the footwear during thewearer's locomotion or other physical activity, as measured in at leastone plane (1D) or in two planes (2D) or in three planes (3D) and/orincluding time or other measurements, the footwear upper surfaceincluding at least a multitude or 20 or 50 or 100 or 500 or 1,000 or4,000, or 16,000 individual pressure sensors. Any of the components ormethods of the example invention embodiments described in this paragraphcan be combined with any other components or methods of the exampleinvention embodiments described in previous paragraphs above or in thepatents or applications incorporated by reference in this application.

Using the second configuration setting, the smartphone device can beconfigured to record a second test data set consisting of measurementsof the force and/or the relative pressure distribution of the wearer'sfootsole on an upper surface of the footwear during the wearer'slocomotion or other physical activity, as measured in at least one plane(1D) or in two planes (2D) or in three planes (3D) and/or including timeor other measurements. Any of the components or methods of the exampleinvention embodiments described in this paragraph can be combined withany other components or methods of the example invention embodimentsdescribed in previous paragraphs above or in the patents or applicationsincorporated by reference in this application.

The smartphone device can be configured to compare the first test dataset and the second test data set with a preferred data set for themeasurements of force and/or relative pressure distribution of the footsole of a model user or users on an upper surface of the footwear duringthe locomotion or other physical activity, as measured in at least oneplane (1D) or in two planes (2D) or in three planes (3D) and/orincluding time or other measurements. Any of the components or methodsof the example invention embodiments described in this paragraph can becombined with any other components or methods of the example inventionembodiments described in previous paragraphs above or in the patents orapplications incorporated by reference in this application.

The smartphone device can be configured to select the configurationsetting of the soles that produced the test data set for the force orrelative pressure distribution that is the closest to the preferred dataset for relative pressure distribution and to reject the otherconfiguration setting, thereby completing at least one full cycle of anoperation to optimize the wearer's configuration. Any of the componentsor methods of the example invention embodiments described in thisparagraph can be combined with any other components or methods of theexample invention embodiments described in previous paragraphs above orin the patents or applications incorporated by reference in thisapplication.

The optimizing operation can be used to reduce a range of pronationand/or supination of the wearer's foot and ankle during the landingphase of locomotion through active configuration by the smartphonedevice of the either or both of the footwear soles. Any of thecomponents or methods of the example invention embodiments described inthis paragraph can be combined with any other components or methods ofthe example invention embodiments described in previous paragraphs aboveor in the patents or applications incorporated by reference in thisapplication.

The optimizing operation can be used by the smartphone device toactively configure either or both of the footwear soles or the apparatusin one or more or many areas of high and/or low pressure as measured onthe upper surface of the footwear soles during the landing phase oflocomotion or as measured on the outer surface of the apparatus duringoperation. Any of the components or methods of the example inventionembodiments described in this paragraph can be combined with any othercomponents or methods of the example invention embodiments described inprevious paragraphs above or in the patents or applications incorporatedby reference in this application.

The optimizing operation can be used by the smartphone device toactively configure either or both of the footwear soles or the apparatusto produce a forefoot strike, a midfoot strike, or a heel strike at thebeginning of the landing phase during locomotion for either or both ofthe wearer's feet. Any of the components or methods of the exampleinvention embodiments described in this paragraph can be combined withany other components or methods of the example invention embodimentsdescribed in previous paragraphs above or in the patents or applicationsincorporated by reference in this application.

The optimizing operation can be used by the smartphone device toactively configure either or both of the footwear soles or the apparatusto change the motion of the center of force on the surface of footwearfor either or both of the wearer's feet during locomotion. Any of thecomponents or methods of the example invention embodiments described inthis paragraph can be combined with any other components or methods ofthe example invention embodiments described in previous paragraphs aboveor in the patents or applications incorporated by reference in thisapplication.

Other test data sets can potentially be monitored, recorded, processedand/or transmitted by the smartphone device or remote sensor or sensors,such as blood pressure, heart rate, respiration rate, blood sugar level,weight, body temperature (core or a body part), ambient temperature, orany other body or body part measurement, medical or other, or audio orvideo. Any of the components or methods of the example inventionembodiments described in this paragraph can be combined with any othercomponents or methods of the example invention embodiments described inprevious paragraphs above or in the patents or applications incorporatedby reference in this application.

One or more of the test data sets can be transmitted to a cloud systemfor storage and/or shared or independent processing and/or analysis ofgroups or categories of users and/or shared access by permitted thirdparties and by the user. Any of the components or methods of the exampleinvention embodiments described in this paragraph can be combined withany other components or methods of the example invention embodimentsdescribed in previous paragraphs above or in the patents or applicationsincorporated by reference in this application.

One or more of the test data sets can be transmitted to a web site forstorage and/or processing and/or analysis of groups or categories ofusers and/or shared access by the user and by third parties permitted bythe user. Any of the components or methods of the example inventionembodiments described in this paragraph can be combined with any othercomponents or methods of the example invention embodiments described inprevious paragraphs above or in the patents or applications incorporatedby reference in this application.

The smartphone device can be used to measure the relative positions toeach other of a user's right and left feet during the stance phase oflocomotion so as to determine the degree of crossover of right and/orleft feet across the centerline of the user's body, as measured in thefrontal plane during the stance phase of locomotion; and then to test aseries of configuration settings in order to reduce or eliminate thecrossover. Any of the components or methods of the example inventionembodiments described in this paragraph can be combined with any othercomponents or methods of the example invention embodiments described inprevious paragraphs above or in the patents or applications incorporatedby reference in this application.

The smartphone device and/or the apparatus and/or the footwear and/orthe peripheral devices with sensors can be used as a medical system or amedical tool for diagnostic, therapeutic, and/or rehabilitativefunctions before and/or during and/or after surgical or other medicaltreatment. Any of the components or methods of the example inventionembodiments described in this paragraph can be combined with any othercomponents or methods of the example invention embodiments described inprevious paragraphs above or in the patents or applications incorporatedby reference in this application.

The smartphone device and/or the apparatus and/or the footwear and/orthe peripheral devices with sensors can be used as a medical system or amedical tool for medical treatment functions through non-surgical means.Any of the components or methods of the example invention embodimentsdescribed in this paragraph can be combined with any other components ormethods of the example invention embodiments described in previousparagraphs above or in the patents or applications incorporated byreference in this application.

The smartphone device and/or the apparatus and/or the footwear and/orthe peripheral devices with sensors can be used as a podiatric system ora podiatric tool for diagnostic, therapeutic, and/or rehabilitativefunctions before and/or during and/or after surgical or other podiatrictreatment. Any of the components or methods of the example inventionembodiments described in this paragraph can be combined with any othercomponents or methods of the example invention embodiments described inprevious paragraphs above or in the patents or applications incorporatedby reference in this application.

The smartphone device and/or the apparatus and/or the footwear and/orthe peripheral devices with sensors can be used as a medical system or amedical tool to stimulate or retard structural bone growth and/or jointdevelopment in a child wearer prior to adulthood through non-surgicalmeans. Any of the components or methods of the example inventionembodiments described in this paragraph can be combined with any othercomponents or methods of the example invention embodiments described inprevious paragraphs above or in the patents or applications incorporatedby reference in this application.

The smartphone device and/or the apparatus and/or the footwear and/orthe peripheral devices with sensors can be used as a medical system or amedical tool to prevent or reduce the gradual deterioration of boneand/or joint structure in an adult wearer through non-surgical means.Any of the components or methods of the example invention embodimentsdescribed in this paragraph can be combined with any other components ormethods of the example invention embodiments described in previousparagraphs above or in the patents or applications incorporated byreference in this application.

The smartphone device and/or the apparatus and/or the footwear and/orthe peripheral devices with sensors can be used as a medical system or amedical tool to treat the deterioration of bone and/or joint structurein an elderly wearer through non-surgical means. Any of the componentsor methods of the example invention embodiments described in thisparagraph can be combined with any other components or methods of theexample invention embodiments described in previous paragraphs above orin the patents or applications incorporated by reference in thisapplication.

The smartphone device can be worn at the centerline of the rearmostportion of the wearer's belt or otherwise attached at or near the smallof the wearer's lumbar back, centered between and at about the level ofthe illiac crests. Any of the components or methods of the exampleinvention embodiments described in this paragraph can be combined withany other components or methods of the example invention embodimentsdescribed in previous paragraphs above or in the patents or applicationsincorporated by reference in this application.

The apparatus can be a helmet and/or helmet padding and/or other paddingor protective gear, including braces, with one or more bladders,compartments, chambers, sipes, or other portions that are activelyconfigured by the smartphone device. Any of the components or methods ofthe example invention embodiments described in this paragraph can becombined with any other components or methods of the example inventionembodiments described in previous paragraphs above or in the patents orapplications incorporated by reference in this application.

The footwear can be configured so that any part of or all of theconfigurable components of the footwear are located in a removable orfixed insert or a removable or fixed orthotic. Any of the components ormethods of the example invention embodiments described in this paragraphcan be combined with any other components or methods of the exampleinvention embodiments described in previous paragraphs above or in thepatents or applications incorporated by reference in this application.

One or both of a wearer's footwear can be configured to include a solewhich has concavely rounded upper and lower surfaces relative to theintended wearer's foot sole, as measured in at least in a frontal planecross-section taken in the heel area, the forefoot, and in the midfootarea; and/or wherein the upper and lower surfaces are substantiallyparallel; and/or wherein the concavely rounded lower surface extends tothe lateral extent 44 of one or both sides of the sole. Any of thecomponents or methods of the example invention embodiments described inthis paragraph can be combined with any other components or methods ofthe example invention embodiments described in previous paragraphs aboveor in the patents or applications incorporated by reference in thisapplication.

One or both of a wearer's concavely rounded footwear can be configuredto deform under the pressure of the wearer's body weight so as toflatten the rounding against the flat surface of the ground, in just thesame way that rounded portions of the wearer's foot sole flatten againstthe flat surface of the ground. Any of the components or methods of theexample invention embodiments described in this paragraph can becombined with any other components or methods of the example inventionembodiments described in previous paragraphs above or in the patents orapplications incorporated by reference in this application.

One or both of a wearer's footwear can be configured to include a solewhich has a toe end portion and a heel end portion that have concavelyrounded upper and lower surfaces relative to the position of theintended wearer's foot sole, as measured in at least in a sagittal planecross-section taken along the long axis of the footwear; and/or whereinthe upper and lower surfaces can be substantially parallel; and/orwherein the concavely rounded lower surface can extend to the mostanterior extent and/or posterior extent of the sole; and/or one or bothof a wearer's footwear can be configured to include a flat portionbetween the toe end portion and heel end portion, as measured in atleast in a sagittal plane cross-section taken along the long axis of thefootwear. Any of the components or methods of the example inventionembodiments described in this paragraph can be combined with any othercomponents or methods of the example invention embodiments described inprevious paragraphs above or in the patents or applications incorporatedby reference in this application.

One or both sides of the sole can have at least one flexibility groovelocated in the midfoot of the footwear sole proximate to a flexibilityaxis 122 located at about the posterior of the forefoot of the footwearsole and anterior to a position proximate to the base of the fifthmetatarsal of the intended wearer's foot sole; and/or the flexibilitygrove can extend through part or all of the underneath portion betweenthe sides of the footwear sides; and/or the footwear sole has otherflexibility grooves. Any of the components or methods of the exampleinvention embodiments described in this paragraph can be combined withany other components or methods of the example invention embodimentsdescribed in previous paragraphs above or in the patents or applicationsincorporated by reference in this application.

One or both of a wearer's concavely rounded footwear soles can be formedfrom a flat sheet of heat and/or pressure-sensitive plastic and/orrubber, including foamed or blown, the flat sheet being put under heatand/or pressure by a press 55 with upper and lower surfaces configuredto produce the concavely rounded footwear sole; and/or the footwear solecan be configured to include at least two layers that are laminatedtogether with heat and/or pressure sensitive glue; and/or at least apart or all of the footwear sole can be formed using a mold. Any of thecomponents or methods of the example invention embodiments described inthis paragraph can be combined with any other components or methods ofthe example invention embodiments described in previous paragraphs aboveor in the patents or applications incorporated by reference in thisapplication.

One or both of a wearer's footwear sole can be configured to have atleast a semi-thong 3 positioned to be located between the big toe andsecond toe of the intended wearer's foot; the semi-thong can be fixed,fastened, or embedded in only to the upper surface and/or other portionsof the footwear sole and can be not fixed to and/or contacting a portionof the footwear upper or straps; and/or optional semi-thongs positionedcan be to be located between one or more or all of the other toes of thewearer's foot sole; and/or the semi-thong can have a round, an oval, oran anthropomorphically-determined shape, as viewed in a horizontalcross-section; and/or the semi-thong can be constructed of plasticand/or rubber, including foamed or blown; and/or the semi-thong can beconfigured to have at least one softer material on the outer surface anda core of at least one firmer material inside; and/or the semi-thong canbe configured to form a portion of the bottom surface the footwear sole;and/or the semi-thong can be configured to be temporarily fastened to atleast a portion of the footwear upper or strap; and/or wherein thesemi-thong can have a strut extending forward between the toes thatserves as a protective partition between the toes. Any of the componentsor methods of the example invention embodiments described in thisparagraph can be combined with any other components or methods of theexample invention embodiments described in previous paragraphs above orin the patents or applications incorporated by reference in thisapplication.

One or both of a wearer's most minimalist footwear can be a footwearsole and/or a sock that is configured to include only a fabric layer, atraction coating layer on the outer surface of the fabric, and atraction coating layer on the inner surface of the fabric; and/orwherein the coating layers can be rubber and/or plastic, includingfoamed and/or blown; and/or wherein one or both of the coating layerscan be continuous or formed in a geometric or other pattern or randomlyoriented and/or irregularly shaped; and/or the minimalist footwear canbe configured to include a midsole insert and/or orthotic; and/orwherein one or both of a wearer's most minimalist footwear can be afootwear sole and/or a sock that is configured to include only thefabric, which is fabricated with a thread coated with a traction coatinglayer. Any of the components or methods of the example inventionembodiments described in this paragraph can be combined with any othercomponents or methods of the example invention embodiments described inprevious paragraphs above or in the patents or applications incorporatedby reference in this application.

One or both of a wearer's most minimalist footwear can be a footwearsole and/or a sock that can be configured to include at least one fabriclayer, at least one traction coating layer on the outer surface of thefabric, and at least one traction coating layer on the inner surface ofthe fabric; and/or wherein the coating layers can be rubber and/orplastic, including foamed and/or blown; and/or wherein one or both ofthe coating layers can be continuous or formed in a geometric or otherpattern or randomly can be oriented and/or irregularly shaped; and/orthe minimalist footwear can be configured to include a midsole insertand/or orthotic; and/or wherein the fabric can be fabricated with athread coated with a traction coating layer. Any of the components ormethods of the example invention embodiments described in this paragraphcan be combined with any other components or methods of the exampleinvention embodiments described in previous paragraphs above or in thepatents or applications incorporated by reference in this application.

The smartphone device or apparatus can be configured to include an outercoating of Teflon™. Any of the components or methods of the exampleinvention embodiments described in this paragraph can be combined withany other components or methods of the example invention embodimentsdescribed in previous paragraphs above or in the patents or applicationsincorporated by reference in this application.

A software app can configure at least a portion of a part or all of theconfiguration of a smartphone device and/or one or more sensors and/orone or both footwear and/or one or more apparatus. Any of the componentsor methods of the example invention embodiments described in thisparagraph can be combined with any other components or methods of theexample invention embodiments described in previous paragraphs above orin the patents or applications incorporated by reference in thisapplication.

A sole and/or a removable inner sole insert for footwear can comprisethe following: one or more bladders, compartments, chambers, internalsipes or other portions located in the sole and/or in a removableinsert; one or more sensors located in or on the sole and/or in theremovable sole insert and/or located in or on an insole; the one or morebladders, compartments, chambers, sipes or other portions and the one ormore sensors can be configured for control by a smartphone or othermobile computer device, general purpose or specialized; and/or thecontrol can be conducted through a wired or a wireless connection. Inaddition, one or both of a wearer's footwear and/or the removable innersole insert for footwear can be configured to include a sole which hasconcavely rounded upper and lower surfaces relative to the intendedwearer's foot sole, as measured in at least in a frontal planecross-section taken in the heel area, the forefoot, and in the midfootarea; and/or the upper and lower surfaces can be substantially parallel;and/or the concavely rounded lower surface can extend to the lateralextent 44 of one or both sides of the sole; and/or the lateral extent 44can extend above the lowest point of the inner footwear surface. Any ofthe components or methods of the example invention embodiments describedin this paragraph can be combined with any other components or methodsof the example invention embodiments described in previous paragraphsabove or in the patents or applications incorporated by reference inthis application.

A sole and/or a removable inner sole insert for footwear for footwearcan comprise the following: one or both of a wearer's footwear can beconfigured to include a sole and/or the removable inner sole insertwhich has concavely rounded upper and lower surfaces relative to theintended wearer's foot sole, as measured in at least in a frontal planecross-section taken in the heel area, the forefoot, and in the midfootarea; and/or the upper and lower surfaces can be substantially parallel;and/or the concavely rounded lower surface can extend to the lateralextent 44 of one or both sides of the sole; and/or the lateral extent 44can extend above the lowest point of the inner footwear surface. Any ofthe components or methods of the example invention embodiments describedin this paragraph can be combined with any other components or methodsof the example invention embodiments described in previous paragraphsabove or in the patents or applications incorporated by reference inthis application.

A sole and/or a removable sole insert for footwear can comprise thefollowing: one or both of a wearer's footwear sole and/or the removablesole insert can be configured to have at least a semi-thong 3 positionedto be located between the big toe and second toe of the intendedwearer's foot; the semi-thong can be fixed, fastened, or embedded inonly to the upper surface and/or other portions of the footwear sole andcan be not fixed to and/or contacting a portion of the footwear upper orstraps; and/or optional semi-thongs can be positioned to be locatedbetween one or more or all of the other toes of the wearer's foot sole;and/or the semi-thong can have a round, an oval, or ananthropomorphically-determined shape, as viewed in a horizontalcross-section; and/or the semi-thong can be constructed of plasticand/or rubber, including foamed or blown; and/or the semi-thong can beconfigured to have at least one softer material on the outer surface anda core of at least one firmer material inside; and/or the semi-thong canbe configured to form a portion of the bottom surface the footwear sole;and/or the semi-thong can be configured to be temporarily fastened to atleast a portion of the footwear upper or strap; and/or wherein thesemi-thong can have a strut extending forward between the toes thatserves as a protective partition between the toes. One or both of awearer's footwear can be configured to include a sole which hasconcavely rounded upper and lower surfaces relative to the intendedwearer's foot sole, as measured in at least in a frontal planecross-section taken in the heel area, the forefoot, and in the midfootarea; and/or wherein the upper and lower surfaces can be substantiallyparallel; and/or wherein the concavely rounded lower surface can extendto the lateral extent 44 of one or both sides of the sole. Any of thecomponents or methods of the example invention embodiments described inthis paragraph can be combined with any other components or methods ofthe example invention embodiments described in previous paragraphs aboveor in the patents or applications incorporated by reference in thisapplication.

A sole can comprise the following: one or both of a wearer's mostminimalist footwear can be a footwear sole and/or a sock that can beconfigured to include only a fabric layer, a traction coating layer onthe outer surface of the fabric, and a traction coating layer on theinner surface of the fabric; and/or wherein the coating layers can be arubber and/or plastic, including foamed and/or blown; and/or wherein oneor both of the coating layers can be continuous or formed in a geometricor other pattern or randomly oriented and/or irregularly shaped; and/orthe minimalist footwear can be configured to include a midsole insertand/or orthotic; and/or wherein one or both of a wearer's mostminimalist footwear can be a footwear sole and/or a sock that isconfigured to include only the fabric, which can be fabricated with athread coated with a traction coating layer; and/or the sole isconfigure to allow for a removable sole insert as discussed at least inthe several preceding three paragraphs. Any of the components or methodsof the example invention embodiments described in this paragraph can becombined with any other components or methods of the example inventionembodiments described in previous paragraphs above or in the patents orapplications incorporated by reference in this application.

A sole can comprise the following: one or both of a wearer's mostminimalist footwear can be a footwear sole and/or a sock that can beconfigured to include at least one fabric layer, at least one tractioncoating layer on the outer surface of the fabric, and at least onetraction coating layer on the inner surface of the fabric; and/orwherein the coating layers can be rubber and/or plastic, includingfoamed and/or blown; and/or wherein one or both of the coating layerscan be continuous or formed in a geometric or other pattern or randomlyoriented and/or irregularly shaped; and/or the minimalist footwear canbe configured to include a midsole insert and/or orthotic; and/orwherein the fabric can be fabricated with a thread coated with atraction coating layer; and/or the sole can be configured to allow for aremovable sole insert as discussed above. Any of the components ormethods of the example invention embodiments described in this paragraphcan be combined with any other components or methods of the exampleinvention embodiments described in previous paragraphs above or in thepatents or applications incorporated by reference in this application.

An apparatus can comprise the following: one or more bladders,compartments, chambers, sipes or other portions can be located in theapparatus; one or more sensors can be located in or on the apparatus;the one or bladders, compartments, chambers, sipes or other portions andthe one or more sensors being configured for control by a smartphone orother mobile computer device, general purpose or specialized; and/or thecontrol can be conducted through a wired or a wireless connection. Theapparatus can be configured to operate with and/or be controlled by thesmartphone device as described in detail above. Any of the components ormethods of the example invention embodiments described in this paragraphcan be combined with any other components or methods of the exampleinvention embodiments described in previous paragraphs above or in thepatents or applications incorporated by reference in this application.

An article of apparel or equipment can comprise the following: thearticle of apparel or equipment can be configured to include wiring toconnect the smartphone device to the apparatus and/or either or both ofthe footwear soles and/or one or more peripheral devices with at leastone remote sensor; and/or wherein the smartphone device can beconfigured to provide power to the apparatus and/or footwear solesand/or peripheral devices. Any of the components or methods of theexample invention embodiments described in this paragraph can becombined with any other components or methods of the example inventionembodiments described in previous paragraphs above or in the patents orapplications incorporated by reference in this application.

A helmet, including faceguard and/or chinguard, or other protectiveequipment including braces and body armor can be configured to comprisean outer coating of Teflon™ 304 to reduce rotational forces such as onthe head. Even a smartphone device or an apparatus can usefully beconfigured to comprise an outer coating of Teflon™ 304 to reduce forceswhen positioned inside a protective case; alternatively, a case or otherprotective device for a smartphone device or tablet or other electronicdevice can be configured to comprise an outer coating of Teflon™ toreduce tangential impact forces.

This application incorporates by reference in their entirety thefollowing published U.S. patent and patent applications: U.S. Pat. No.5,317,819 issued Jun. 7, 1994; U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,142 issued Sep. 29,2998 to Ronald S. Demon; U.S. Pat. No. 5,909,948 issued Jun. 8, 1999;U.S. Pat. No. 6,163,982 issued Dec. 26, 2000; application Ser. No.11/282,665 published Nov. 9, 2006 as Pub. No. 2006/0248749 A1;application Ser. No. 11/802,930 published Apr. 17, 2008 as Pub. No. US2008/0086916 A1; application Ser. No. 11/190,087 published Feb. 26, 2008as U.S. Pat. No. 7,334,350 B2; and application Ser. No. 12/292,769published on Aug. 13, 2009 as Pub. No. US 2009/0200661 A1. Thepublication cover pages of the '948, '350 patent and the '665, '930, and'769 patent applications are also included with this application at theend to confirm the specific and explicit incorporation by reference ofthese four documents.

More specifically incorporated by reference are at least the followingfigures and the textual specification associated with the figures: FIGS.9-12 of the '948 patent; FIGS. 1C, 15, 16, 17A & B, 29A & B, 32A & B,44, 59, 60, 61A & B, 69, 70, and 79 of the '930 U.S. patent application;FIGS. 11M, 11N, 11O, and 11P of the '350 U.S. patent; FIGS. 11M, 11N,11O, 11P, 11T, 11U, 63, 97, 98, and 99A & B of the '665 U.S. patentapplication; and FIG. 23G of the '769 U.S. patent application. Copies ofthese figures are also included in this application.

The applicant claims the right to priority based on U.S. ProvisionalPatent Applications previously filed.

The applicant's other footwear U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,989,349; 5,317,819;5,544,429; 5,909,948; 6,115,941; 6,115,945; 6,163,982; 6,308,439;6,314,662; 6,295,744; 6,360,453; 6,487,795; 6,584,706; 6,591,519;6,609,312; 6,629,376; 6,662,470; 6,675,498; 6,675,499; 6,708,424;6,729,046; 6,748,674; 6,763,616; 6,789,331;6,810,606; 6,877,254;6,918,197; 7,010,869; 7,082,697; 7,093,379; 7,127,834; 7,168,185; and7,174,658 are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entiretyinto this application for completeness of disclosure of the applicant'snovel and useful combination of one or more of any of the features orcomponents of any of the figures of this application with one or more ofany of the features of any one or more of the preceding applicant'spatents listed above in this paragraph.

The applicant's other footwear published U.S. Application Numbers20020000051; 20020007571; 20020007572; 20020014020; 20020014021;20020023373; 20020073578; 20020116841; 20030046830; 20030070320;20030079375; 20030131497; 20030208926; 20030217482; 20040134096;20040250447; 20050016020; 20050086837; 20050217143; and 20060032086 arehereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety into thisapplication for completeness of disclosure of the applicant's novel anduseful combination of one or more of any of the features or componentsof any of the figures of this application with one or more of any of thefeatures of any one or more of the preceding applicant's published U.S.applications listed above in this paragraph.

The preceding novel methods, apparatus and software for computersincluding for a computer including a smartphone and other relateddevices and for peripheral devices with sensors to be used with saidcomputers.

A. A smartphone or other mobile computer device, general purpose orspecialized, comprising: the smartphone device is configured to activelycontrol the configuration of one or more bladders, compartments,chambers or internal sipes and one or more sensors located in either oneor both of a sole or a removable inner sole insert of the footwear ofthe user and/or located in an apparatus worn or carried by the user,glued unto the user, or implanted in the user; and the one or morebladders, compartments, chambers, or sipes, and one or more sensorsbeing configured for computer control.

B. The smartphone device of paragraph A, wherein the device isconfigured to record a first test data set consisting of measurements bya sensor of the force and/or relative pressure distribution of awearer's footsole on or near an upper surface of the wearer's footwearduring the wearer's locomotion or other physical activity; the firsttest data set as measured in at least one plane (1D) or in two planes(2D) or in three planes (3D) and/or including time or othermeasurements.

C. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-B, wherein thedevice is configured to record a first test data set consisting ofmeasurements by a sensor of the relative motion during the user'slocomotion or other physical activity of a position at or near to a partof the body of the user of the smartphone device; the first test dataset as measured in at least one plane (1D) or in two planes (2D) or inthree planes (3D) and/or including time or other measurements.

D. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-C, wherein thedevice is configured to record a first test data set consisting ofmeasurements of the relative motion during the user's locomotion orother physical activity of a position that is at or near the center ofgravity of the body of the user of the smartphone device, as measured inat least one plane (1D) or in two planes (2D) or in three planes (3D)and/or including time or other measurements.

E. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-D, wherein thesmartphone device is configured to establish a first configurationsetting for the bladders, compartments, chambers, sipes or otherportions of the apparatus or of either or both of the footwear soles.

F. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-E, wherein the firstconfiguration setting is a neutral or baseline condition, including thecondition wherein the smartphone device has not activated control of theapparatus or the footwear soles.

G. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-F, wherein thesmartphone device is configured to activate a second configurationsetting for the bladders, compartments, chambers, sipes, or otherportions of the apparatus or of either or both of the soles, the secondconfiguration being different from the first configuration setting.

H. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-G, wherein using thesecond configuration setting, the smartphone device is configured torecord a second test data set consisting of measurements of the relativemotion during locomotion or other physical activity of the position ator near to the part of the user, as measured in at least one plane (1D)or in two planes (2D) or in three planes (3D) and/or including time orother measurements.

I. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-H, wherein using thesecond configuration setting, the smartphone device is configured torecord a second test data set consisting of measurements of the relativemotion during locomotion or other physical activity of the position ator near to the center of gravity of the user, as measured in at leastone plane (1D) or in two planes (2D) or in three planes (3D) and/orincluding time or other measurements.

J. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-I, wherein thesmartphone device is configured to compare the first test data set andthe second test data set with a preferred data set for the measurementsof relative motion during locomotion or other physical activity of thepart of a model user or users, as measured in at least one plane (1D) orin two planes (2D) or in three planes (3D) and/or including time orother measurements.

K. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-J, wherein thesmartphone device is configured to compare the first test data set andthe second test data set with a preferred data set for the measurementsof relative motion during locomotion or other physical activity of theposition at or near to the part of a model user or users, as measured inat least one plane (1D) or in two planes (2D) or in three planes (3D)and/or including time or other measurements.

L. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-K, wherein thesmartphone device is configured to compare the first test data set andthe second test data set with a preferred data set for the measurementsof relative motion during locomotion or other physical activity of theposition at or near to the center of gravity of a model user or users,as measured in at least one plane (1D) or in two planes (2D) or in threeplanes (3D) and/or including time or other measurements.

M. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-L, wherein thesmartphone device is configured to select the configuration setting ofthe footwear soles that produced the test data set that is the closestto the preferred data set and to reject the other configuration setting,thereby completing at least one full cycle of an operation to optimizethe configuration for the wearer.

N. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-M, wherein the fullcycle of the configuration optimizing operation is repeated asfrequently as necessary until the most recent test data set eitherclosely matches the preferred data set or cannot be made to match thetest data more closely.

O. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-N, wherein the fullcycle of the configuration optimizing operation is repeated hundreds orthousands or millions or billions of times.

P. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-O, wherein the modeluser or users are chosen from a group of shod or barefoot users who havea history of low levels of overuse and/or acute injuries, the barefootusers including users that are distinguished by level of previous orcurrent conventional footwear use, such as barefoot users that have beenformerly shod and/or occasionally shod or seldom shod or never shod withconventional footwear.

Q. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-P, wherein thesmartphone device is configured to include a gyroscope and anaccelerometer.

R. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Q, wherein thesmartphone device is configured to include one or more wired connectionsand/or one or more wireless connections, the wireless connectionsincluding WiFi, Bluetooth, near field communications (NFC) and/orcellular.

S. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-R, wherein therelative motion includes geographic motion tracking between one or moregeographic positions and said device is configured to include a globalpositioning system (GPS) components and/or another geographic locationtracking capability.

T. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-S, wherein thesmartphone device is configured for wired and/or wireless connection toat least one peripheral device with at least one remote sensor locatedat or near to a body part of the user.

U. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-T, wherein theremote sensor is of any known type, including motion, pressure, time,heat moisture, chemical, electrical, or electromagnetic sensor.

V. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-U, wherein the atleast one peripheral device is a headphone set or a audio earplugs setor an earplugs set with at least one or two remote motion sensors.

W. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-V, wherein the atleast one peripheral device with at least one remote sensor isconfigured to record and/or transmit a first and/or second test data setconsisting of the measurements of the relative motion during locomotionor other physical activity of a position at or near to the body part ofthe user of the smartphone device, as measured in at least one plane(1D) or in two planes (2D) or in three planes (3D) and/or including timeor other measurements.

X. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-W, wherein the bodypart is one or more of the smartphone device user's head, neck,shoulder, chest, cervical, thoracic or lumbar back, rib, elbow, wrist,hand, waist, sacrum, pubic bone, illiac crest, thigh, hip, knee,patella, shin bone or tibia, ankle, toe, forefoot, midfoot or heel offoot; or wherein the body part is part of the body of an animal or aportion of a plant.

Y. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-X, wherein theremote sensor is located in any practical location on any article ofclothing or personal equipment, including earphones or earplugs, helmet,glasses, watch, belt, waistband, elastic underwear, armband, attachedwith tape or bandage, necklace or lanyard, cervical collar, ring,headband, in any manner attached or embedded in conventional orspecialized clothing, or glued on the skin of the wearer.

Z. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Y, wherein the atleast one peripheral device with at least one remote sensor transmits,in realtime and/or later, the first and/or second data sets to thesmartphone device and/or to another computer.

AA. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Z, wherein theapparatus or either or both of the footwear soles include one or more ora multitude or 20 or 50 or 100 or 500 or 1000 or 4000 or 16,000individual sensors.

BB. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Z and AA, whereinthe locomotion includes walking and/or running.

CC. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Z and AA-BB,wherein the test data sets include at least a full stride or manystrides of the walking and/or running locomotion or at least one fullcycle or many cycles of any other repetitive motion of the user.

DD. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Z and AA-CC,wherein the first and/or second test data sets are collected when thelocomotion occurs on a flat level surface, a flat uphill or upwardinclining surface, or a flat downhill or downward inclining surface.

EE. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Z and AA-DD,wherein the apparatus or either or both of the footwear soles areconfigured to include at least a magnetorheological fluid located in theone or more bladders, compartments, chambers, sipes or other portions,the magnetorheological fluid being controlled at least in part orcompletely by the smartphone device.

FF. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Z and AA-EE,wherein the apparatus or either or both of the footwear soles areconfigured to include at least one valve located between the two or morebladders, compartments, chambers, sipes, or other portions, the at leastone valve being controlled at least in part or completely by thesmartphone device.

GG. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Z and AA-FF,wherein the apparatus or either or both of the footwear soles areconfigured to include at least one electric and/or electronic and/orelectromechanical device that is controlled at least in part orcompletely by the smartphone device.

HH. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Z and AA-GG,wherein at least one battery and/or at least one device wherein the bodyweight and/or muscular energy of a wearer of the smartphone device isused to generate electrical power in the apparatus or either or both ofthe footwear soles.

II. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Z and AA-HH,wherein the apparatus or either or both of the footwear soles areconfigured to include a wired and/or wireless connection to thesmartphone device.

JJ. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Z and AA-II,wherein an article of apparel or equipment is configured to includewiring to connect the smartphone device to the apparatus and/or eitheror both of the footwear soles and/or one or more peripheral devices withat least one remote sensor; and/or wherein the smartphone device isconfigured to provide power to the apparatus and/or footwear solesand/or peripheral devices.

KK. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Z and AA-JJ,wherein the smartphone device is configured to actively control theconfiguration of one or more footwear soles of the user by altering therelative longitudinal height, including positive or negative heel lift,or negative or positive forefoot lift, and/or the relative side-to-sideheight between lateral and medial sides, and/or the relative heightbetween the right and the left footwear soles, or a combination of theserelative height alterations.

LL. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Z and AA-KK,wherein the smartphone device is configured to actively control theconfiguration of one or more footwear soles of the user by altering therelative longitudinal firmness between heel area and forefoot areaand/or side-to-side firmness between lateral and medial side areas,and/or the relative firmness between the right and the left footwearsoles, or a combination of these relative firmness alterations.

MM. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Z and AA-LL,wherein the smartphone device is configured to actively control theconfiguration of one or more footwear soles of the user by altering therelative height or firmness under one or more of the foot bones of thewearer, including under the calcaneus, the lateral calcaneal tuberosity,the base of the fifth metatarsal, the longitudinal arch, the metatarsalarch, each of the heads of the metatarsals, and each of the distalphalanges, including the hallux or big toe.

NN. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Z and AA-MM,wherein the smartphone device is configured to actively control of theapparatus or footwear configuration at least once per full operationcycle or locomotion stride, many times per full operation cycle orlocomotion stride, once per many full operation cycles or locomotionstrides, or based on a set time period of any duration or based onanother test condition.

OO. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Z and AA-NN,wherein the device is configured to record a first test data setconsisting of measurements of the force and/or the relative pressuredistribution of the wearer's footsole on an upper surface of thefootwear during the wearer's locomotion or other physical activity, asmeasured in at least one plane (1D) or in two planes (2D) or in threeplanes (3D) and/or including time or other measurements, the footwearupper surface including at least a multitude or 20 or 50 or 100 or 500or 1,000 or 4,000, or 16,000 individual pressure sensors.

PP. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Z and AA-OO,wherein using the second configuration setting, the smartphone device isconfigured to record a second test data set consisting of measurementsof the force and/or the relative pressure distribution of the wearer'sfootsole on an upper surface of the footwear during the wearer'slocomotion or other physical activity, as measured in at least one plane(1D) or in two planes (2D) or in three planes (3D) and/or including timeor other measurements.

QQ. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Z and AA-PP,wherein the smartphone device is configured to compare the first testdata set and the second test data set with a preferred data set for themeasurements of force and/or relative pressure distribution of the footsole of a model user or users on an upper surface of the footwear duringthe locomotion or other physical activity, as measured in at least oneplane (1D) or in two planes (2D) or in three planes (3D) and/orincluding time or other measurements.

RR. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Z and AA-QQ,wherein the smartphone device is configured to select the configurationsetting of the soles that produced the test data set for the force orrelative pressure distribution that is the closest to the preferred dataset for relative pressure distribution and to reject the otherconfiguration setting, thereby completing at least one full cycle of anoperation to optimize the wearer's configuration.

SS. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Z and AA-RR,wherein the optimizing operation is used to reduce a range of pronationand/or supination of the wearer's foot and ankle during the landingphase of locomotion through active configuration by the smartphonedevice of the either or both of the footwear soles.

TT. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Z and AA-SS,wherein the optimizing operation is used by the smartphone device toactively configure either or both of the footwear soles or the apparatusin one or more or many areas of high and/or low pressure as measured onthe upper surface of the footwear soles during the landing phase oflocomotion or as measured on the outer surface of the apparatus duringoperation.

UU. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Z and AA-TT,wherein the optimizing operation is used by the smartphone device toactively configure either or both of the footwear soles or the apparatusto produce a forefoot strike, a midfoot strike, or a heel strike at thebeginning of the landing phase during locomotion for either or both ofthe wearer's feet.

VV. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Z and AA-UU,wherein the optimizing operation is used by the smartphone device toactively configure either or both of the footwear soles or the apparatusto change the motion of the center of force on the surface of footwearfor either or both of the wearer's feet during locomotion.

WW. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Z and AA-VV,wherein other test data sets can potentially be monitored, recorded,processed and/or transmitted by the smartphone device or remote sensoror sensors, such as blood pressure, heart rate, respiration rate, bloodsuger level, weight, body temperature (core or a body part), ambienttemperature, or any other body or body part measurement, medical orother, or audio or video.

XX. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Z and AA-WW,wherein one or more of the test data sets are transmitted to a cloudsystem for storage and/or shared or independent processing and/oranalysis of groups or categories of users and/or shared access bypermitted third parties and by the user.

YY. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Z and AA-XX,wherein one or more of the test data sets are transmitted to a web sitefor storage and/or processing and/or analysis of groups or categories ofusers and/or shared access by the user and by third parties permitted bythe user.

ZZ. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Z and AA-YY,wherein the smartphone device is used to measure the relative positionsto each other of a user's right and left feet during the stance phase oflocomotion so as to determine the degree of crossover of right and/orleft feet across the centerline of the user's body, as measured in thefrontal plane during the stance phase of locomotion; and then to test aseries of configuration settings in order to reduce or eliminate thecrossover.

AAA. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Z and AA-ZZ,wherein the smartphone device and/or the apparatus and/or the footwearand/or the peripheral devices with sensors are used as a medical systemor a medical tool for diagnostic, therapeutic, and/or rehabilitativefunctions before and/or during and/or after surgical or other medicaltreatment.

BBB. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Z and AA-ZZ andAAA, wherein the smartphone device and/or the apparatus and/or thefootwear and/or the peripheral devices with sensors are used as amedical system or a medical tool for medical treatment functions throughnon-surgical means.

CCC. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Z and AA-ZZ andAAA-BBB, wherein the smartphone device and/or the apparatus and/or thefootwear and/or the peripheral devices with sensors are used as apodiatric system or a podiatric tool for diagnostic, therapeutic, and/orrehabilitative functions before and/or during and/or after surgical orother podiatric treatment.

DDD. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Z and AA-ZZ andAAA-CCC, wherein the smartphone device and/or the apparatus and/or thefootwear and/or the peripheral devices with sensors are used as amedical system or a medical tool to stimulate or retard structural bonegrowth and/or joint development in a child wearer prior to adulthoodthrough non-surgical means.

EEE. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Z and AA-ZZ andAAA-DDD, wherein the smartphone device and/or the apparatus and/or thefootwear and/or the peripheral devices with sensors are used as amedical system or a medical tool to prevent or reduce the gradualdeterioration of bone and/or joint structure in an adult wearer throughnon-surgical means.

FFF. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Z and AA-ZZ andAAA-EEE, wherein the smartphone device and/or the apparatus and/or thefootwear and/or the peripheral devices with sensors are used as amedical system or a medical tool to treat the deterioration of boneand/or joint structure in an elderly wearer through non-surgical means.

GGG. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Z and AA-ZZ andAAA-FFF, wherein the smartphone device is worn at the centerline of therearmost portion of the wearer's belt or otherwise attached at or nearthe small of the wearer's lumbar back, centered between and at about thelevel of the illiac crests.

HHH. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Z and AA-ZZ andAAA-GGG, wherein the apparatus is a helmet and/or helmet padding and/orother padding or protective gear, including braces, with one or morebladders, compartments, chambers, sipes, or other portions that areactively configured by the smartphone device.

III. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Z and AA-ZZ andAAA-HHH, wherein the footwear is configured so that any part of or allof the configurable components of the footwear are located in aremovable or fixed insert or a removable or fixed orthotic.

JJJ. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Z and AA-ZZ andAAA-III, wherein one or both of a wearer's footwear is configured toinclude a sole which has concavely rounded upper and lower surfacesrelative to the intended wearer's foot sole, as measured in at least ina frontal plane cross-section taken in the heel area, the forefoot, andin the midfoot area; and/or wherein the upper and lower surfaces aresubstantially parallel; and/or wherein the concavely rounded lowersurface extends to the lateral extent of one or both sides of the sole.

KKK. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Z and AA-ZZ andAAA-JJJ, wherein one or both of a wearer's concavely rounded footwear isconfigured to deform under the pressure of the wearer's body weight soas to flatten the rounding against the flat surface of the ground, inthe same way that rounded portions of the wearer's foot sole flattenagainst the flat surface of the ground.

LLL. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Z and AA-ZZ andAAA-KKK, wherein one or both of a wearer's footwear is configured toinclude a sole which has a toe end portion and a heel end portion thathave concavely rounded upper and lower surfaces relative to the positionof the intended wearer's foot sole, as measured in at least in asagittal plane cross-section taken along the long axis of the footwear;and/or wherein the upper and lower surfaces are substantially parallel;and/or wherein the concavely rounded lower surface extends to the mostanterior extent and/or posterior extent of the sole; and/or one or bothof a wearer's footwear is configured to include a flat portion betweenthe toe end portion and heel end portion, as measured in at least in asagittal plane cross-section taken along the long axis of the footwear.

MMM. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Z and AA-ZZ andAAA-LLL, wherein one or both sides of the sole has at least oneflexibility groove located in the midfoot of the footwear sole proximateto a flexibility axis 122 located at about the posterior portion of theforefoot of the footwear sole and anterior to a position proximate tothe base of the fifth metatarsal of the intended wearer's foot sole;and/or wherein the flexibility grove extends through part or all of theunderneath portion between the sides of the footwear sides; and/or thefootwear sole has other flexibility grooves.

NNN. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Z and AA-ZZ andAAA-MMM, wherein one or both of a wearer's concavely rounded footwearsole is formed from a flat sheet of heat and/or pressure-sensitiveplastic and/or rubber, including foamed or blown, the flat sheet beingput under heat and/or pressure by a press with upper and lower surfacesconfigured to produce the concavely rounded footwear sole; and/or thefootwear sole is configured to include at least two layers that arelaminated together with heat and/or pressure sensitive glue; and/or atleast a part or all of the footwear sole is formed using a mold.

OOO. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Z and AA-ZZ andAAA-NNN, wherein one or both of a wearer's footwear sole is configuredto have at least a semi-thong positioned to be located between the bigtoe and second toe of the intended wearer's foot; the semi-thong isfixed, fastened, or embedded in only to the upper surface and/or otherportions of the footwear sole and is not fixed to and/or contacting aportion of the footwear upper or straps; and/or optional semi-thongspositioned to be located between one or more or all of the other toes ofthe wearer's foot sole; and/or the semi-thong has a round, an oval, oran anthropomorphically-determined shape, as viewed in a horizontalcross-section; and/or the semi-thong is constructed of plastic and/orrubber, including foamed or blown; and/or the semi-thong is configuredto have at least one softer material on the outer surface and a core ofat least one firmer material inside; and/or the semi-thong is configuredto form a portion of the bottom surface the footwear sole; and/or thesemi-thong is configured to be temporarily fastened to at least aportion of the footwear upper or strap; and/or wherein the semi-thonghas a strut extending forward between the toes that serves as aprotective partition between the toes.

PPP. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Z and AA-ZZ andAAA-OOO, wherein one or both of a wearer's most minimalist footwear is afootwear sole and/or a sock that is configured to include only a fabriclayer, a traction coating layer on the outer surface of the fabric, anda traction coating layer on the inner surface of the fabric; and/orwherein the coating layers are rubber and/or plastic, including foamedand/or blown; and/or wherein one or both of the coating layers arecontinuous or formed in a geometric or other pattern or randomlyoriented and/or irregularly shaped; and/or the minimalist footwear isconfigured to include a midsole insert and/or orthotic; and/or whereinone or both of a wearer's most minimalist footwear is a footwear soleand/or a sock that is configured to include only the fabric, which isfabricated with a thread coated with a traction coating layer.

QQQ. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Z and AA-ZZ andAAA-PPP, wherein one or both of a wearer's most minimalist footwear is afootwear sole and/or a sock that is configured to include at least onefabric layer, at least one traction coating layer on the outer surfaceof the fabric, and at least one traction coating layer on the innersurface of the fabric; and/or wherein the coating layers are rubberand/or plastic, including foamed and/or blown; and/or wherein one orboth of the coating layers are continuous or formed in a geometric orother pattern or randomly oriented and/or irregularly shaped; and/or theminimalist footwear is configured to include a midsole insert and/ororthotic; and/or wherein the fabric is fabricated with a thread coatedwith a traction coating layer.

RRR. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Z and AA-ZZ andAAA-QQQ, wherein a software app configures at least a portion of a partor all of the smartphone device and/or sensors and/or footwear and/orapparatus.

SSS. A sole and/or a removable inner sole insert for footwear,comprising: one or more bladders, compartments, chambers, internal sipesor other portions located in the sole and/or in a removable insert; oneor more sensors located in or on the sole and/or in the removable soleinsert and/or located in or on an insole; the one or more bladders,compartments, chambers, sipes or other portions and the one or moresensors being configured for control by a smartphone or other mobilecomputer device, general purpose or specialized; and/or the control isconducted through a wired or a wireless connection.

TTT. The sole and/or the removable sole insert of paragraph SSS, whereinone or both of a wearer's footwear and/or the removable inner soleinsert for footwear is configured to include a sole which has concavelyrounded upper and lower surfaces relative to the intended wearer's footsole, as measured in at least in a frontal plane cross-section taken inthe heel area, the forefoot, and in the midfoot area; and/or wherein theupper and lower surfaces are substantially parallel; and/or wherein theconcavely rounded lower surface extends to the lateral extent of one orboth sides of the sole; and/or wherein the lateral extent extends abovethe lowest point of the inner footwear surface.

UUU. The sole and/or the removable sole insert of paragraph SSS, whereinone or both of a wearer's footwear is configured to operate with and/orbe controlled by the smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Z andAA-ZZ and AAA-RRR.

VVV. A sole and/or a removable inner sole insert for footwear forfootwear, comprising: one or both of a wearer's footwear is configuredto include a sole and/or the removable inner sole insert which hasconcavely rounded upper and lower surfaces relative to the intendedwearer's foot sole, as measured in at least in a frontal planecross-section taken in the heel area, the forefoot, and in the midfootarea; and/or wherein the upper and lower surfaces are substantiallyparallel; and/or wherein the concavely rounded lower surface extends tothe lateral extent of one or both sides of the sole; and/or wherein thelateral extent extends above the lowest point of the inner footwearsurface.

WWW. A sole and/or a removable sole insert for footwear, comprising: oneor both of a wearer's footwear sole and/or the removable sole insert isconfigured to have at least a semi-thong positioned to be locatedbetween the big toe and second toe of the intended wearer's foot; thesemi-thong is fixed, fastened, or embedded in only to the upper surfaceand/or other portions of the footwear sole and is not fixed to and/orcontacting a portion of the footwear upper or straps; and/or optionalsemi-thongs positioned to be located between one or more or all of theother toes of the wearer's foot sole; and/or the semi-thong has a round,an oval, or an anthropomorphic-ally-determined shape, as viewed in ahorizontal cross-section; and/or the semi-thong is constructed ofplastic and/or rubber, including foamed or blown; and/or the semi-thongis configured to have at least one softer material on the outer surfaceand a core of at least one firmer material inside; and/or the semi-thongis configured to form a portion of the bottom surface the footwear sole;and/or the semi-thong is configured to be temporarily fastened to atleast a portion of the footwear upper or strap; and/or wherein thesemi-thong has a strut extending forward between the toes that serves asa protective partition between the toes.

XXX. The sole and/or the removable sole insert of paragraph SSS, whereinone or both of a wearer's footwear is configured to include a sole whichhas concavely rounded upper and lower surfaces relative to the intendedwearer's foot sole, as measured in at least in a frontal planecross-section taken in the heel area, the forefoot, and in the midfootarea; and/or wherein the upper and lower surfaces are substantiallyparallel; and/or wherein the concavely rounded lower surface extends tothe lateral extent of one or both sides of the sole.

YYY. A sole, comprising: one or both of a wearer's most minimalistfootwear is a footwear sole and/or a sock that is configured to includeonly a fabric layer, a traction coating layer on the outer surface ofthe fabric, and a traction coating layer on the inner surface of thefabric; and/or wherein the coating layers are rubber and/or plastic,including foamed and/or blown; and/or wherein one or both of the coatinglayers are continuous or formed in a geometric or other pattern orrandomly oriented and/or irregularly shaped; and/or the minimalistfootwear is configured to include a midsole insert and/or orthotic;and/or wherein one or both of a wearer's most minimalist footwear is afootwear sole and/or a sock that is configured to include only thefabric, which is fabricated with a thread coated with a traction coatinglayer; and/or the sole is configure to allow for a removable sole insertof any one of paragraphs SSS-UUU.

ZZZ. A sole, comprising: one or both of a wearer's most minimalistfootwear is a footwear sole and/or a sock that is configured to includeat least one fabric layer, at least one traction coating layer on theouter surface of the fabric, and at least one traction coating layer onthe inner surface of the fabric; and/or wherein the coating layers arerubber and/or plastic, including foamed and/or blown; and/or wherein oneor both of the coating layers are continuous or formed in a geometric orother pattern or randomly oriented and/or irregularly shaped; and/or theminimalist footwear is configured to include a midsole insert and/ororthotic; and/or wherein the fabric is fabricated with a thread coatedwith a traction coating layer; and/or the sole is configure to allow fora removable sole insert of any one of paragraphs SSS-UUU.

AAAA. An apparatus, comprising: one or more bladders, compartments,chambers, sipes or other portions located in the apparatus; one or moresensors located in or on the apparatus; the one or bladders,compartments, chambers, sipes or other portions and the one or moresensors being configured for control by a smartphone or other mobilecomputer device, general purpose or specialized; and/or the control isconducted through a wired or a wireless connection.

BBBB. The apparatus of paragraph AAAA, wherein the apparatus isconfigured to operate with and/or be controlled by the smartphone deviceof any one of paragraphs A-Z and AA-ZZ and AAA-RRR.

CCCC. An article of apparel or equipment, comprising: the article ofapparel or equipment can be configured to include wiring to connect thesmartphone device to the apparatus and/or either or both of the footwearsoles and/or one or more peripheral devices with at least one remotesensor; and/or wherein the smartphone device is configured to providepower to the apparatus and/or footwear soles and/or peripheral devices.

DDDD. A helmet or other protective equipment including braces and bodyarmor, comprising: an outer coating of Teflon™.

EEEE. The smartphone device of any one of paragraphs A-Z and AA-ZZ andAAA-QQQ, wherein the smartphone device or apparatus is configured toinclude an outer coating of Teflon™.

1. A smartphone or other mobile computer device, general purpose orspecialized, comprising: the smartphone device is configured to activelycontrol the configuration of one or more bladders, compartments,chambers or internal sipes and one or more sensors located in either oneor both of a sole or a removable inner sole insert of the footwear ofthe user and/or located in an apparatus worn or carried by the user,glued unto the user, or implanted in the user; and the one or morebladders, compartments, chambers, or sipes, and one or more sensorsbeing configured for computer control.
 2. The smartphone device of claim1, wherein the device is configured to record a first test data setconsisting of measurements by a sensor of the force and/or relativepressure distribution of a wearer's footsole on or near an upper surfaceof the wearer's footwear during the wearer's locomotion or otherphysical activity; the first test data set as measured in at least oneplane (1D) or in two planes (2D) or in three planes (3D) and/orincluding time or other measurements.
 3. The smartphone device of claim1, wherein the device is configured to record a first test data setconsisting of measurements by a sensor of the relative motion during theuser's locomotion or other physical activity of a position at or near toa part of the body of the user of the smartphone device; the first testdata set as measured in at least one plane (1D) or in two planes (2D) orin three planes (3D) and/or including time or other measurements.
 4. Thesmartphone device of claim 1, wherein the device is configured to recorda first test data set consisting of measurements of the relative motionduring the user's locomotion or other physical activity of a positionthat is at or near the center of gravity of the body of the user of thesmartphone device, as measured in at least one plane (1D) or in twoplanes (2D) or in three planes (3D) and/or including time or othermeasurements.
 5. The smartphone device of claim 1, wherein thesmartphone device is configured to establish a first configurationsetting for the bladders, compartments, chambers, sipes or otherportions of the apparatus or of either or both of the footwear soles. 6.The smartphone device of claim 1, wherein the first configurationsetting is a neutral or baseline condition, including the conditionwherein the smartphone device has not activated control of the apparatusor the footwear soles.
 7. The smartphone device of claim 1, wherein thesmartphone device is configured to activate a second configurationsetting for the bladders, compartments, chambers, sipes, or otherportions of the apparatus or of either or both of the soles, the secondconfiguration being different from the first configuration setting. 8.The smartphone device of claim 1, wherein using the second configurationsetting, the smartphone device is configured to record a second testdata set consisting of measurements of the relative motion duringlocomotion or other physical activity of the position at or near to thepart of the user, as measured in at least one plane (1D) or in twoplanes (2D) or in three planes (3D) and/or including time or othermeasurements.
 9. The smartphone device of claim 1, wherein using thesecond configuration setting, the smartphone device is configured torecord a second test data set consisting of measurements of the relativemotion during locomotion or other physical activity of the position ator near to the center of gravity of the user, as measured in at leastone plane (1D) or in two planes (2D) or in three planes (3D) and/orincluding time or other measurements.
 10. The smartphone device of claim1, wherein the smartphone device is configured to compare the first testdata set and the second test data set with a preferred data set for themeasurements of relative motion during locomotion or other physicalactivity of the part of a model user or users, as measured in at leastone plane (1D) or in two planes (2D) or in three planes (3D) and/orincluding time or other measurements.
 11. The smartphone device of claim1, wherein the smartphone device is configured to compare the first testdata set and the second test data set with a preferred data set for themeasurements of relative motion during locomotion or other physicalactivity of the position at or near to the part of a model user orusers, as measured in at least one plane (1D) or in two planes (2D) orin three planes (3D) and/or including time or other measurements. 12.The smartphone device of claim 1, wherein the smartphone device isconfigured to compare the first test data set and the second test dataset with a preferred data set for the measurements of relative motionduring locomotion or other physical activity of the position at or nearto the center of gravity of a model user or users, as measured in atleast one plane (1D) or in two planes (2D) or in three planes (3D)and/or including time or other measurements.
 13. The smartphone deviceof claim 1, wherein the smartphone device is configured to select theconfiguration setting of the footwear soles that produced the test dataset that is the closest to the preferred data set and to reject theother configuration setting, thereby completing at least one full cycleof an operation to optimize the configuration for the wearer.
 14. Thesmartphone device of claim 1, wherein the full cycle of theconfiguration optimizing operation is repeated as frequently asnecessary until the most recent test data set either closely matches thepreferred data set or cannot be made to match the test data moreclosely.
 15. The smartphone device of claim 1, wherein the full cycle ofthe configuration optimizing operation is repeated hundreds or thousandsor millions or billions of times.
 16. The smartphone device of claim 1,wherein the model user or users are chosen from a group of shod orbarefoot users who have a history of low levels of overuse and/or acuteinjuries, the barefoot users including users that are distinguished bylevel of previous or current conventional footwear use, such as barefootusers that have been formerly shod and/or occasionally shod or seldomshod or never shod with conventional footwear.
 17. The smartphone deviceof claim 1, wherein the smartphone device is configured to include agyroscope and an accelerometer.
 18. The smartphone device of claim 1,wherein the smartphone device is configured to include one or more wiredconnections and/or one or more wireless connections, the wirelessconnections including WiFi, Bluetooth, near field communications (NFC)and/or cellular.
 19. A sole and/or a removable inner sole insert forfootwear, comprising: one or more bladders, compartments, chambers,internal sipes or other portions located in the sole and/or in aremovable insert; one or more sensors located in or on the sole and/orin the removable sole insert and/or located in or on an insole; the oneor more bladders, compartments, chambers, sipes or other portions andthe one or more sensors being configured for control by a smartphone orother mobile computer device, general purpose or specialized; and/or thecontrol is conducted through a wired or a wireless connection.
 20. Asole and/or a removable inner sole insert for footwear for footwear,comprising: one or both of a wearer's footwear is configured to includea sole and/or the removable inner sole insert which has concavelyrounded upper and lower surfaces relative to the intended wearer's footsole, as measured in at least in a frontal plane cross-section taken inthe heel area, the forefoot, and in the midfoot area; and/or wherein theupper and lower surfaces are substantially parallel; and/or wherein theconcavely rounded lower surface extends to the lateral extent of one orboth sides of the sole; and/or wherein the lateral extent extends abovethe lowest point of the inner footwear surface.